Jakob's Law

Jakob Nielsen 's Law states that "users spend most of their time on other sites, and they expect your site to work the same way."

Users are inclined to approach new interfaces based on their collective experiences with various platforms, drawing comparisons. Therefore, businesses must acknowledge the influence of competition, as evolving design standards are established, aiming to upgrade themselves instead of falling behind.

Let’s start to understand the premise with couple of examples.

Example 1: Interpretation of Jakob’s law on e-commerce platform.

In the early days of online shopping, pioneers like Amazon and Flipkart blazed a trail, setting standards for how e-commerce platforms should function and appear.

During the initial stages of e-commerce development, there was little precedent for how online purchasing platforms should be constructed. Through experimentation and innovation, these early startups discovered the importance of dedicated pages for product information and a well-defined user journey. They established the norm of having distinct pages for product categories, detailed product descriptions, landing pages, secure checkout processes, and help&support etc.

The user journey became a critical aspect, ensuring that customers could easily navigate the platform, find relevant information, and complete their transactions efficiently. By creating a seamless and intuitive flow from initial product exploration to final purchase, e-commerce platforms increased user trust and satisfaction.

As e-commerce grew and matured, user experience took center stage. With the success of industry leaders, users developed expectations for a certain level of usability and convenience when shopping online. Users now anticipate finding similar pages for product details, reviews, and secure payment options on any e-commerce platform they visit. The standards set by early e-commerce innovators have become the norm, and users expect a consistent and familiar experience across different platforms

The success of established e-commerce platforms has created a mental model for users, shaping their expectations of online shopping. New e-commerce sites leverage this mental model, offering familiar structures for product information, reviews, and transactions. By aligning with user expectations, these platforms reduce cognitive effort, enhance usability, and increase the likelihood of user adoption and success.

Today, user experience is a top priority for any e-commerce business. They understand that providing a seamless and familiar shopping journey is crucial for attracting and retaining customers.

In essence, Jakob's Law emphasises the importance of adhering to established design patterns to create intuitive and user-friendly e-commerce experience that meet the needs and expectations of their target audience, ultimately driving conversions and fostering customer loyalty.

Example 2: Highlighting the importance of acquainting the user with the new version without imposing its usage.

Exploring the renowned case of the YouTube Redesign, they allowed users the flexibility to toggle between the older and newer versions of the platform, without imposing a mandatory switch to the newer version.

Once more, the mental model of users becomes crucial. The intended audience must invest effort to grasp the functioning of the new UI and its transitions. Any platform, regardless of age, should aim to minimise the cognitive effort on users to enhance their experience. If switching is enforced, users may encounter difficulties and wrestle with understanding the new flow, ultimately affecting usage and adoption rates, possibly resulting in churn. Hence, providing flexibility for users to choose whichever version they prefer until they become acquainted with the newer version is essential.

In short, concept of familiarity from Jakob’s law and it’s impact on user experience proven successful. Indeed, in our everyday interactions with various platforms, this aspect of the principle is frequently applied. Offering flexibility for users to adapt to new changes has proven to be impactful, with the option to revert to the older version temporarily.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Jakob Nielsen’s Law emphasizes that users will retain their cumulative experiences from other platforms while using yours. Therefore, it is the product team’s responsibility to manage expectations and leverage the mental models of those users with a familiar interface. Through the examples provided above, we observe the tangible impact of prioritizing user familiarity and flexibility in interface design, ultimately leading to enhanced user experience and sustained customer engagement.

By adhering to the principles of Jakob’s law, product teams should keep competition and evolving UI trends in mind, which can reduce cognitive load for users, foster usability, and bolster their position in the increasingly competitive digital landscape.

#userexperience #productmanagement